Shelby began studying piano at age seven in her hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her teachers include Jacki Walker, Alice Almanza, Dr. Amanda Lee-Hing, Dr. Bradley Bolen, Dr. Terry Lynn Hudson, and Dr. Charles Fugo. Her piano pedagogy teachers include Mina Kramer, Dr. Lesley McAlliser, Dr. Sara Ernst, and Dr. Scott Price. Shelby has studied many musical genres including classical, jazz, contemporary, and sacred music. She has performed extensively, including a tour through Malaysia, as a soloist and duo pianist with the piano ensemble Rhapsody at Southwestern Assemblies of God University.  Recently, Shelby has served as the church pianist for several churches and now serves at Calvary Baptist of Columbia, SC.

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Shelby is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in piano through MTNA. She earned a B.A. in Piano Performance at Southwestern Assemblies of God University and a M.M. in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at Baylor University. Currently, she is pursuing a D.M.A. in Piano Pedagogy at the University of South Carolina and plans to graduate in May 2024.

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She hopes to continue enriching the music culture in the Columbia, SC community through providing professional, quality teaching for all students. Shelby has had the pleasure of teaching piano for seven years and enjoys the challenge of discovering the strengths of each individual student. In her words, "Every musician has something to contribute, and as a teacher, it is my duty to help students develop their skills to become independent musicians." She caters her instruction to different learning styles by including various learning activities and aims to make piano study very enjoyable. To Shelby, teaching piano is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences because of the many lessons she learns from each student.

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EDUCATION

-Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano Pedagogy, University of South Carolina [Fall 2020–Present / Piano Professor: Dr. Charles Fugo, Pedagogy Professors: Dr. Price Scott and Dr. Sara Ernst]

-Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy, Baylor University [May 2020 / Piano Professor: Dr. Terry Lynn Hudson, Pedagogy Professor: Dr. Lesley Sisterhen McAllister]

-Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance, Southwestern Assemblies of God University, summa cum laude [May 2018 / Piano Professor: Dr. Amanda Lee-Hing]

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

-Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM), MTNA [2020–Present]

-Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of South Carolina, Columbia [2020–Present]

-Graduate Teaching Assistant, Baylor University [2018–2020]

-Piano Instructor/Music Theory Teacher/Choir Accompanist/Beginner Percussion Instructor, Camp Hoblitzelle [Summer 2019]

-Freelance Teaching in the Albuquerque, NM [2014–2015], Waxahachie, TX [2015–2018], and Waco, TX [2018–2020], Columbia, SC [2020–Present]

-Piano Instructor/Substitute, En Route Academy of the Arts, Waxahachie, TX [2017–2018]

-Class Piano and Private Piano Teaching Intern, Music Department, Southwestern Assemblies of God University [Spring 2018]

-Piano Instructor, Lancaster Music School, Lancaster, TX [2015–2017]

 

PUBLICATION

-“Wilhelm Stenhammar’s Sensommarnätter, Op. 33: Rediscovered Swedish Character Pieces” in the Music Teachers National Association e-Journal [April 2021]

 

ADJUDICATION

-Celebration of Musical Achievements, CMTA, Columbia, SC [2021]

-Texas Music Teachers Association Convention All-Star Festival, Houston, TX [2019]

-Grand Prairie Music Teachers Association Fall Festival, Grand Prairie, TX [2017–2018]

-Texas Music Teachers Association Convention All-Star Festival, Dallas, TX [2016]

 

RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

-“Swedish Piano Music” [YouTube Channel]

-“Pedagogical Perspectives of Late-Beginning through Advanced Level Piano Repertoire by Swedish Composers from the Late-Romantic Period to the Present” [M.M. in Piano Performance and Pedagogy Thesis Project, May 2020]

-“Erland Sjunnesson’s Nordic Piano Ballads for Late-Beginning and Intermediate Students: Modern Enchantment” [Presented at the 2020 MTNA Collegiate Chapters Piano Pedagogy Symposium]

-“Wilhelm Stenhammar’s Sensommarnätter, Op. 33: Rediscovered Swedish Character Pieces” [Presented at the 2019 TMTA Convention and 2020 MTNA Collegiate Chapters Piano Pedagogy Symposium]

-“Near and Far Effects of Early Musical Training” [Presented at the 2016 TMTA Convention and 2017 MTNA Collegiate Chapters Piano Pedagogy Symposium]

-“Why Your Slow Practice Isn’t Working” [Presented at the 2016 MTNA Collegiate Chapters Piano Pedagogy Symposium]

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

-Music Teacher National Association (MTNA) [2014–Present]

-Texas Music Teachers Association (TMTA) [2015–Present]

-Pi Kappa Lambda, Music Honors Society [Fall 2017–Present]

-University of South Carolina MTNA Collegiate Chapter [2020–Present]

-Baylor University MTNA Collegiate Chapter [2018–2020 / Vice President for 2019–2020 Year]

-Southwestern Assemblies of God University MTNA Collegiate Chapter [2014–2018 / President for 2017–2018 Year]